Welcome to Gerbils!—the application that showcases QuickDraw™ 3D, the new system software component that adds a new dimension to your Macintosh® system. This file shows you how to get started with Gerbils! and enjoy your ride.
For additional information, help is available under the menu, when Gerbils! is open.
Gerbils! defined
Gerbils! is a “rodent-coaster” simulator that makes gerbil watching fun and different. What could be better? Gerbils moving along tracks of multiple shapes, defying gravity in daredevil moves just for your enjoyment. With twists, loops, or even knots just a mouse click away, there are no limits to what these critters will do. Gerbils! is the best way to have fun with 3D graphics.
Making ’em move
When launched, Gerbils! displays a fly-through window and a track editing window. The fly-through window takes you to a gerbil ride as seen through the gerbil’s eyes. If you go to the Camera menu you can change the viewpoint to that of a bird-of-prey following the gerbil, or to that of something the gerbil is chasing. Using the same menu, you can even look at other gerbils that happen to be on the same track.
Watching ’em move
You use the Rendering menu to control how Gerbils! displays the track, and also to apply different textures to the track. If you have one of those red and blue “3D glasses” handy, you can also view the track and all the gerbils in stereo.
Changing the track
Click on the Track Editing window to bring it to the front. You can drag any track icon at the bottom of the window and drop it on top of the rodent-coaster track to replace existing sections. You can also drag a new track icon and drop it on top of any of the small red boxes to insert a new section. You can click on a section of track and press the Delete key to erase it. If you click and drag a red box, you can easily bend and change the shape of the neighboring track sections. After you are finished changing the track, you may use the File menu to save your changes, open a previously created track, or even create a new one.
Teaching an old gerbil a new trick
Who says you cannot teach an old gerbil a new trick? Impress your friends, and show them otherwise. You may use the Import command under the File menu to display other 3DMF models in place of the regular gerbils. You can also use the same command to apply a different texture to the ground plane. You may experiment with the sample textures in the “Gerbils! Textures Folder,” and the sample models in the “Gerbils! Models Folder.”
Troubleshooting
The amount of memory Gerbils! requires depends on a number of factors—the complexity of the track, the number of gerbils, and the size of the fly-through window all affect memory requirements. In case Gerbils! has problems running, it might be that QuickDraw 3D cannot allocate enough memory. To correct the problem, you may have to quit all other open 3D applications, and restart Gerbils!
Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, and MacOS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. QuickDraw is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Mention of non-Apple products is for informational purposes and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these products. No gerbils or any other live animals have been killed or harmed during the making of this production.
